ISLAMABAD: In a significant move, the Pakistan government has decided to amend the rules for the issuance and renewal of passports.
According to details, the Ministry of Interior has submitted a summary to the federal cabinet, proposing changes to the existing passport rules. Once approved, the amendments will allow citizens to obtain passports from any city across the country.
The summary also outlines that passport fees for all categories will be payable at any branch of the National Bank of Pakistan.
Sources within the Ministry of Interior indicated that these changes will take effect following the cabinet’s approval. The new process for obtaining a passport will be streamlined to resemble the procedure for acquiring a national identity card.
In a related development, Pakistan’s authorities have made crucial decisions to address delays in passport printing. The Directorate General of Immigration and Passports has decided to acquire 20 new laminators and an equal number of printers, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Additionally, the Directorate has planned to purchase five advanced ARPM and two E-passport printers. With these new machines, it is expected that 1,000 passports will be printed per hour, significantly improving the efficiency of passport production.
